Second chance
by Raechellaa19
Summary: It scared her, Dante wasn't Rocco's father, but a Quartermaine was? What does that mean for Lulu's family? Johnny/Valerie Dillion/Lulu
1. Here we go

There Lulu Spencer stood looking shocked at the doctor in front of her. Logically she knew Patrick was just trying to do her job. Then there was another part of her who knew no matter how good a doctor Patrick and Robin were that the lab work had to be wrong. Lulu couldn't think of another explanation.

"Lulu?" Patrick waved a hand in front of her face.

"Could you repeat that?" Lulu asked the doctor.

"We tested both Kristina and Olivia. They didn't have any DNA markers in common with Rocco." Lulu looked at Patrick like he had lost it.

"I'm sorry," Lulu said confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means that Dante isn't his father." Patrick couldn't find a good way to say it so he just did.

"How can you be sure? Helena could have altered the results, she's done it before with Aiden."

"I did the tests myself, but Lulu you need to be prepared that you might not like what I find." Patrick advised her before he went to the lab.

Lulu tried for a straight 3 hours to try and get a hold of Dante, but he wasn't answering. She called Nathan, but he said he hadn't heard from Dante all day. While most of Dante's family and hers had shown up at GH at some point she had yet to hear from her husband. She didn't know if she should be pissed or worried. It wasn't like Dante to not answer her calls

Lulu went to stand at the side of her son's hospital bed. All these wires and tubes were keeping him alive. Her heart stopped when she got the call from Johnny telling her that Rocco had been hit by a car. When she asked how all Johnny would tell her was that someone broke Valerie's house while she was watching Rocco. Somehow Rocco got out of the house and ran out into the road. Valerie was unconscious in the ICU and Rocco was in critical condition.

Lulu was shocked when Patrick told her that her son was having trouble producing new red blood cells. He said it was an underlying immune disease he was born with. All that time and Lulu thought her son was happy and healthy. She didn't know how wrong she was. She was more than a little nervous when Patrick suggested a bone marrow transplant. In those three hours most of her family, Kristina, and Olivia had been tested. So far there was no match.

"How is he?" a voice came from the doorway. Lulu didn't have to turn around for her to know the voice of Johnny Zacchara. Since his release from prison Johnny Zacchara had become a model citizen.

"There's a problem with his blood cells. He needs a bone marrow transplant." Lulu siod robotically.

"Where's Dante?" Johnny looked through the hall for any sign of the man.

"I don't know." Lulu said in a tired voice. "I tried calling and it went straight to voicemail." Lulu informed him without looking up. Then a sudden thought occurred to Lulu. "What were you doing at Valerie's house?"

"She called me." Johnny admitted. No one in Port Charles knew the full extent of his relationship with the women who how close they had become. "I was supposed to go over when Rocco left and we were supposed to talk. When I got there the ambulance was taking Rocco away. The police informed me that a drunk driver hit him, but no had seen anyone who looked like Valerie. I took off to her house after I told the police that I called you. When I got there the door was open. I found her unconscious, looking like someone beat the Hell out of her." Johnny clenched his fist as Lulu clenched her jaw. If someone hadn't attacked Valerie then Rocco wouldn't have wondered out into the road.

"Do they have any clue about the driver or who attacked Valerie?"

"No, sorry. No one saw the car that was driven and the PCPD's best bet is waiting for Valerie to wake up to hopefully ID her attacker." The two waited in silence until there was a knock on the door. Lulu never saw Patrick looked so nervous as he approached Lulu and Johnny.

"Lulu there's something I need to show you." Patrick looked from Lulu to Johnny.

"It's okay, he can stay." Lulu told the doctor and Patrick gave her a nod.

"I'm sorry, but the test on Kristina and Olivia came back the same, but there's something else you need to know. Out of everyone that came in today there is someone who was a familial match."

"That's great," Lulu's face lit up, but Patrick still looked nervous. "What aren't you telling me? Who was it, Patrick?" Lulu questioned.

"Jason Morgan." Patrick told her.

"How can Jason be familial match."

"I tested Jason's DNA against yours and there was no common DNA, which can only mean that he's related to Rocco's father."

"I'm sorry, I still don't get it." Lulu shook her head trying to make sense of what Patrick was saying.

"According to DNA Rocco is a Quartemaine." Patrick informed the mother. He left the room while Lulu tried to make sense of the life changing news he had just given her. There was no preparing for that kind of news. Johnny looked worriedly at the young woman. He knew inside her head she was going over every possible scenario and to him none of them were good ones.

"Lulu?" She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard her husband in the doorway. "I'm sorry. I got caught up on following a lead." He apologixed. "What happened?" when Lulu didn't answer him he turned to Johnny.

"Someone broke into Valerie's house and attacked her. Somehow Rocco got out of the house and wandered into the road. He is sick and needs a bone marrow transplant." Lulu ignored her husbands' worried gaze and focused on her son. Where was Dante? His son was in the hospital and he was nowhere to be found.

Lulu tried to not to flinch as Dante took her hand, but Johnny still noticed. In a way he knew her better than she knew herself. She wanted to be mad at Dante, but she had bigger problems. Her son needed surgery and her cousin was unconscious. Her first priority was finding out who Rocco's father was and she knew where to start. There was no way that something like this could happen without Helena Cassadine, not knowing anything about it.

* * *

Nikolas felt the burn of alcohol as he took big drink. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Rocco wasn't supposed to be sick and Lulu was never supposed to find out the truth that Rocco wasn't his son. Nikolas didn't know the full extent of Rocco's parentage, but he did know enough His grandmother promised him that once Lulu found out that Rocco was her son that she would get her fairy tale end and live blissfully happy. It was no shock to him….his grandmother lied.

When Nikolas swallowed the last little bit of alcohol he threw the glass against the wall. His nephew needed a bone marrow transplant and none of Lulu's family was a match. Patrick told Lulu he would run the test again on Olivia and Kristina, but Nikolas knew the results would be the same. He had to get Helena to tell him who Rocco's father was. His best chance at receiving bone marrow was a familial match.

"Want to tell me why I've been summoned." Nikolas heard the unmistakable voice of his grandmother.

"I need to know who the father of Lulu's son is."

"I told you. I will reveal the true paternity of the child when the time is right. "

"The time is right now!" Nikolas yelled. "He is sick and needs a bone marrow transplant. None of us are a match." Nikolas clenched his fists when he saw his grandmother actually thinking it over. A child's life was at risk and she was still playing the Cassadine/Spencer feud.

"Once this is out there is no going back."

"Why did you do it? Dante and Lulu already had fertilized eggs of their own. Why would you go through the trouble of getting someone else's sperm?"

"Because believe it or not my plan doesn't involve Lulu Spencer being tied down to that no good cop. If she had his child then he would forever be tied to her. I am looking at the bigger picture."

"And that is?"

"Using Lulu Spencer's son as a way to get my hands on my share of ELQ?" Helena let him in on the plan she had been setting in motion for years.

"How?" Nikolas asked confused. Lulu had no claim in ELQ which could only mean that the father of her child did.

"Isn't it obvious?" Helena said like it was common sense. "Rocco isn't a Corinthos…he's a Quartermaine." Helena grinned. Pretty soon they would all fall like a domino effect.


	2. The truth

Dillon Quartermaine didn't know what he was doing at General Hospital. As soon as he mother called him with the news of Lulu's son he felt the urge to be there. He wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if Lulu and he were close since his surprise return to Port Charles. After having to lie to his mother about the Luke and Laura fiasco, he steered clear of anything having to do with Spencers. He kept their secret. Dillion only hoped it wasn't at his mother's expense.

"Dillon?" a voice said from behind him. Dillon turned around to see Maxie Jones holding 2 cups of coffee.

"Maxie." Dillon sighed without realizing it. Even after 7 years he still got a slight pain in his gut. In a way Maxie was his only last connection to Georgie. The pain would never fade.

"I heard you were back in town." Maxie said to diffuse the awkward tension.

"I heard you went and had a baby. " Dillon grinned and Maxie smiled back. Maxie put the coffee down and two went in for a hug. The relationship between Maxie and Dillon would never change.

"I would've come by sooner, but…" Dillon let the sentence die on his lips. Maxie nodded in understanding.

"I know." Maxie told him. She knew whenever Dillon looked at her he saw the sister who should've died. He might not have ever told her to her face, but Maxie could see it in her eyes.

"Where's Lulu?" Dillon started looking down the hall or any sign of the blonde.

"She's with Rocco," Maxie jerked her head to a room a few doors down with the doors closed. "I couldn't convince her to leave." Although, Maxie didn't try very hard. She knew if it was Georgie then there was no way she would leave her side.

"How is he?" Dillon questioned. He knew he was a Spencer and he was a fighter.

"Patrick said there a problem with his blood cells and he needs a bone marrow transplant." Maxie knew with all Lulu and Dante had to go through to hold their son it wasn't fair that he was the one lying in a hospital bed.

"Have they found a match?" Dillon wondered.

"I think I heard someone say something about Jason Morgan being a match." Maxie said casually.

"What are the odds?" Dillon asked confused. Dillon knew it was a long shot to even find a match in Rocco's family, let alone a stranger.

"Why don't you take the coffee to Lulu and I'll go find Patrick to see if he has an update." Dillon didn't get the chance to answer before Maxie shoved the coffee into his hands and went off in search of Dr. Drake.

There Dillon stood hesitating at the door that separated him from Lulu's family. Dillion let out a bitter laugh. It wasn't that long ago that he was Lulu's family. Dillon quickly shook the thought out of his head. He balanced the coffee as he slowly turned the door knob. Dillon saw Lulu's tear stained face look surprise as he crossed the threshold, the only barrier between him and the only woman who had the power to destroy him.

"I'm so sorry, Lulu." Dillon didn't have time to processing what was happening before Lulu launched herself at him. He had a brief second of shock before he wrapped his arms around her torso. Lulu needed comfort and Dillon knew had to give it to her.

"Where's Dante?" The young man asked when he let go of her.

"He said he had some business to take care of." Lulu said bitterly. "My son is in the hospital and he is God knows where." Lulu said while looking down at Rocco. Dillon looked at her confused. It wasn't _our son,_ or _his son._ It was _my son._ Dillon decided not to venture down that path. Lulu's family was Lulu's business.

"Maxie thought she heard someone say Jason Morgan was a match for a bone marrow transplant." Dillon tried changing the subject.

"Yea, Patrick wants to wait until Rocco is more stable. It is lucky that Jason is even a match. I know after everything with Jake this can't be easy for him or Elizabeth." For a brief second after she learned Jason was a match she felt guilty that he could save her son, but he didn't have the chance to save his. Then Lulu quickly got rid of that thought. Jason would jump at the chance to save her son because that's who Jason Morgan was.

"And how are you holding up?" Dillon put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"The truth?" Lulu let out a laugh.

"Always." Dillon answered without hesitation.

"I feel like I can't breathe." Lulu admitted without looking up at Dillon. One look at Dillon and she would completely fall apart. "It's going to be okay, Lulu." Lulu couldn't respond as she gazed down at her son. He was lying in a hospital bed and her husband was God only knows where. She wasn't sure anything was going to be okay.

* * *

Nikolas Cassadine wandered aimlessly through the halls of General Hospital. A few gave him curious glance, but with Rocco in the hospital no one dare questioned his motives for being there. His conversation with his grandmother kept playing over and over in his head.

" _You mean to tell me you knew this whole time that Rocco was a Quartermaine?" Nikolas questioned his grandmother._

" _That's exactly what I'm telling you." Helena smirked at the man. Everything might not have gone according to plan, but the important part was that the truth was going to be used as a weapon in the war involving the Spencers and Quartermaines._

" _And I'm guessing you had something to do with this." Nikolas narrowed his eyes._

" _What would make you think that?" Helena let out a laugh. If Nikolas only knew what she had planned for Lulu Spencer._

" _For once in your life just tell me the damn truth." Nikolas yelled, losing his patience. Helena was the only one who knew the truth that could save Rocco's life._

" _I set my plan in motion close to 12 years ago when Lulu and a certain Quartermaine made a huge mistake." Helena told the man._

" _When Lulu got pregnant." Nikolas nodded knowingly._

" _Yes, when Lulu got pregnant. You see while your sister thought she was getting an abortion I had her fertilized egg extracted and kept it for safe keeping."_

" _You can't be that cruel. Lulu agonized over the decision for years and you have the nerve to tell me after all these years that her child is alive?" Nikolas couldn't believe his grandmother was that cruel. He watched Lulu struggle everyday with coming to terms with the choice she made to have an abortion._

" _I never claimed to be a saint. Anyway, if was almost 10 years later and the egg would soon become inviable. I had to act fast, that's were Britt Westbourne came in. When her mother came to me asking for my help I knew that I had the perfect opportunity." Helena started to explain._

" _But the original plan was for Brit to use the baby to get to Patrick Drake. What if Patrick hadn't pushed her for the truth? What was your plan if she didn't tell him that he wasn't the father?" Nik asked confused. His grandmother's plan didn't make any sense to him._

" _My only plan was to bring life to a Quartermaine and a Spencer child. I planned to reveal the truth when the time was right, which is now I suppose." Nikolas couldn't believe his grandmother telling him this like he was normal._

" _Now that you've been caught?" Nikolas asked._

" _Regardless of what anyone in this god forsaken town believes I do not enjoy seeing a child suffer." Helena snapped._

Nikolas slowly came upon his nephew's hospital room. He knocked, but didn't wait for an answer before he walked in. He had to talk to his sister. He knew only he could give her the answers she needed. Helena sure as Hell wasn't about to come out in the open just to give Lulu a piece of mind. When he walked in he saw Lulu by Rocco's bedside, but she wasn't with Dante, she was with Dillon. He hoped that made what he was about to do that much easier.

"Nikolas." Lulu looked up when heard someone enter the room. Nikolas looked down, trying to avoid looking into Lulu's eyes.

"We need to talk." Nikolas said and Lulu looked at him confused.

"I'll leave you two alone." Dillon said and made his way past the prince.

"What's wrong?" Lulu knew her brother well enough to know when he was nervous for whatever reason.

"I know…" Nikolas hesitated.

"Know what?" Lulu asked before he could get the words out.

"I know Rocco isn't Dante's son." Nikolas admitted. As her older brother he hated that he was the one who had to give her the truth.

"How?" Lulu asked her brother, confused. With everything going on the only person who knew that truth about Rocco were her and Patrick.

"Helena." Nikolas said the one word that could terrify Lulu. She hated that that evil woman was somehow responsible for her not knowing her son's true paternity. A secret that could've cost her son his life if they hadn't found a bone marrow match.

"What did she do?" Lulu tried to keep her anger in check. A few minutes passed as Nikolas explained in detail what his grandmother had planned for Lulu and her son. Lulu struggled to wrap her head around the fact that for almost 12 years she destroyed a part of herself.

"What I am supposed to do now?" Lulu asked her big brother.

"I think you need to tell Dillon."

"What then?" Lulu asked. "He has a whole life that's not here. I can't expect him to drop everything for a kid he never asked for."

"But he did," Nikolas explained. "When you were going to have an abortion Dillon said he wanted to raise the baby. What makes you think it's any different now?"

"We are different people now. We all are." Lulu explained. Everyone in Port Charles' came a long way from who they used to be, Nikolas included. Nikolas and Lulu stood in silence as they contemplated the severity of the situation.

* * *

Johnny ran a hand through Valerie's hair as Elizabeth Webber stood checking her vitals. She was hooked up to so many tubes and machines that it was a miracle she was breathing on her own.

"How's Lulu?" The nurse's voice broke through Johnny's head. Johnny didn't know much about Liz's second child, but he knew enough to know that that what happened with Lulu son's was personal.

"She hanging in there." Johnny tried to manage a smile. The two were interrupted when they saw Valerie's panicked eyes darting around the room.

"Valerie? It's Elizabeth." The nurse reached down to take her hand." If you can hear me I need you to squeeze my hand." Valerie gave her hand a small squeeze and Johnny let out a sigh of relief.

"Val." Johnny leaned down. "You're okay. Can you tell me who attacked you?" Valerie gripped Johnny's shirt to pull him closer. Liz didn't hear what she said, all she noticed was the murderous look on Johnny's face.

* * *

Kristina down her third cup of coffee to calm her nerves as she sat in the waiting room of General Hospital. She watched Danny while Sam and Jason got tested, but she couldn't bring herself to leave while she waited for Patrick to go over the lab work. Something about being in the place her boyfriend died made her anxious. The truth was she hadn't set foot in general hospital since Trey had died.

Kristina had a feeling she couldn't shake as she wandered aimlessly through the halls. When Kristina walked towards the supply closets she saw little droplets of blood leading to the door. The blood appeared to still be wet. Kristina knew someone could be trying to get help.

Bracing herself she grasped the door handle and gently pushed the door open. She was not prepared for what was on the other side. There was a body hunched over the medical supplies. Their back was to her, but Kristina would recognize that person anywhere.

"Ethan?" The man turned around when he recognized the woman's voice. The last thing that Ethan saw was Kristina's shocked gaze before he passed out from the blood loss.


End file.
